Tension apparatus for loom warp yarns



May 951 T. J. wlLLls ETAL' 2,551,920

Y TENgIoN APPARATUS FOR Loom wARP mms Filed l 18, 1949 i 4 sheets-sheet 1 end W/L/AM A. SM/TH, INVENTORS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 T. J. WILLIS ETAL TENSION APPARATUS FOR LOOM WARP YARNS May 8, 1951 Filed July 18, 1949 INVENToRs:

THOMAS r/. W/LL/S Bam/VW/LL/AMA. Ml

ATTORNEY May 8, 1951 T. J. wlLLls E-rAg.

TENSION APPARATUS Fox Loom WAR? YARNs 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 18, 1949 um /IT LM 5m MAM SM Am mm mw ,m

A T TUE/VE Y Patented May 8, 1951 OFFICE TENSION APPARATUS FOR LOOM WAR? YARNS Thomas J. Willis and William A. Smith, Greenwood, S. C.

Application July 1S, 1949, Serial No. 105,376

3 Claims.

This invention relates to looms and more especially to apparatus for relaxing the tension -in warp yarns therein in order to prevent the occurrence oi set marks in the woven fabric.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, ridges, commonly referred to as set marks, occur in woven fabric at the beat-up point of the lay of a loom whenever the loom is stopped and again started, whether the period between the starting and stopping of the loom be of short or long duration. Set marks are caused by sagging of the warp yarns between their points of suspension, that is, between the beat-up point of thelay and the whip roll at the rear of the loom, and this will invariably cause the woven fabric forwardly of the lay to tend to move rearwardly, as a result of which the last pick woven in the cloth, or the picks immediately following upon the loom again being started, will be compacted by the initial strokes of the lay, thus causing transverse ridges or set marks the fabric, thereby resulting in an inferior product.

In order to prevent the occurrence 4oi` set marks in the cloth, it is a primary object of this invention to provide apparatus controlled by movement of the shipper handle of the loom for automatically releasing the tension on the warp yarns between their points of suspension immediately upon stopping the loom and for automatically again applying normal tension to the warp yarns immediately upon the loom again being started.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for preventing the occurrence of set marks in woven `fabrics comprising a transverse pressure roll extending crosswise of the loom and being mounted on arms pivoted on thev loom and having means connected to the pressure roll for automatically moving the same into engagement with the warp yarns of the loom between their points of suspension of the warp yarns upon the shipper handle of the loom being moved to an on position. Other means, automatically operable upon the shipper handle being moved to an off position are provided for moving the pressure roll out of engagement with Ithe warp yarns, thus relaxing the pressure applied to the warp yarns by the pressure roll, as a result of which the normal tension of the warp yarns is considerably decreased and the warp yarns will not tend to pull the woven fabric rearwardly against the reed to cause the succeeding picks to be woven more closely together than is de'- Sired. e

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide, in a loom having a whip roll shaft and a whip roll disposed rearwardly of the shaft, a pair of brackets extending upwardly from the whip roll shaft and having a second shaft oscillatably mounted therein, said second shaft having a pair of arms thereon in which the ends of a pressure roll are xedly mounted. The pressure roll is preferably mounted between the whip roll and the whip roll shaft and has a connection between the same and vthe vertically movable plunger of a solenoid which is fastened to the loom. A switch is automatically closed upon the shipper handle being moved to an o n position thus energizing the solenoid tocausethe solenoid plunger to be drawn into the solenoid yin such a manner as to cause the pressure roll to move into engagement with the warp yarns and to apply pressure to the same and to thereby place the warp yarns under tension. Immediately upon the shipper handle being moved to an o'l position, other means are provided to automatically release the solenoid plunger from the effects of the solenoid to thus allow the pressure roll to move out of engagement with -the warp yarns, thereby relaxing the tension thereon.

Some of the objectsrof the invention having been stated, other objects will appear-as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a loom With parts broken away showing the invention as applied thereto and showing various parts schematically and in operating position;

IFigure 2 is an enlarged elevationof the lower left-hand portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, the solenoid plunger being shown in a different position;

VFigure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the loom looking in the Ysame direction as Figure 1 and also Hshowing various parts of the loom.schematically,.but showing the pressurerroll in non-tensioning position;

Figure 4 is an enlargedtop plan-view ofthe rear portion of the loom taken substantially alongthe line 4 4 in Figure 1 and shewin-g the manner Vin which -the tension applying pressure roll for the Warp yarns is mounted adjacent'the whip roll;

Figure 5 is an enlarged-top plan view with the shipper lever in cross-section and is taken substantially along the line 5-,5 in Figure 1 but showing only the end portion of the loom nearest the observer in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional plan -view taken substantially along the line 6 6 in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an elevation of one side of one end of the loom taken substantially along the line 1 1 in Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a loom similar to Figure l but showing a modified form of the invention applied thereto, the parts at the front of the loom being shown in operating position while the parts of the invention at the rear of the loom are shown in inoperative position for purposes of illustration.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numerals l@ and Il indicate the left-hand and right-hand side frame members, respectively, of a loom which rest on the floor. The side frame members l@ and l i are connected at their upper ends by a conventional arch connection l2 suitably secured to the respective side frame members, about half way between the front and rear ends of the loom frame. The upper ends of the loom side frame members l5 and Il are connected near the front end of the loom by a conventional breast beam I3 suitably bolted to the loom side frame members i and Il. Near their lower ends, the loom side frame members Il) and H are connected by a front girt lli and a rear girt l5 suitably secured to the loom side frame members I0 and ll.

A conventional shaft I is oscillatably mounted at its ends in the loom side frame members l0 and il and has the lower ends of swords I1 and 26 fixedly mounted thereon, the upper ends of which support a conventional horizontally disposed lay 2l and a reed cap 22 which are secured to the swords l1 and 25 in a conventional manner and between which a conventional reed 23 is disposed. The front ends of pitrnan rods 25 and E6 are pivotally connected to the swords I1 and '25, respectively, as at 28 and 29, their rear ends being oscillatably mounted on crank throws of a crank shaft 36. The crank shaft 3l) is driven in a conventional manner and is mounted in bearing blocks 3| Iand 32 suitably secured to the side frame members I 6 and ll.

Bolted to the proximate surfaces of the loom side frame members I5 and Il adjacent the upper rear ends thereof are whip roll shaft bearing brackets 35 and 35 in which a conventional whip roll shaft 36 is oscillatably mounted. The whip roll shaft 36 has conventional whip roll arms 31 and 46 fixedly mounted thereon and which extend rearwardly and upwardly at a slight angle relative to the horizontal and have the remote ends of whip roll pivot arms or brackets Il! and 62, respectively, oscillatably mounted therein. These whip roll pivot brackets il and 42 extend forwardly and have opposite ends of a conventional vibrating whip roll 63 mounted therein.

In Figures 1 and 3, warp yarns 65 are drawn upwardly from a conventional warp beam 16, which is shown schematically, and which has conventional tension means associated therewith, not shown. The warp yarns 45 pass over the vibrating whip roll i3 and then extend horizontally above the whip roll shaft 36. The warp yarns l5 are usually divided into two sheets 45a and 45h by conventional lease bars l1 and 43 and these sheets of warp yarns 55a and 1155 pass through conventional harnesses 5i and 52, respectively, to which vertical reciprocation is transmitted, by conventional means, not shown, when the loom is in operation.

The sheets of warp yarns a and 452) then pass through the conventional reed 23 and are woven into fabric F. The fabric F is then taken up .by a conventional sand roll 55 around which the fabric passes and then passes over a take-up guide roll 56. The cloth then extends downwardly and is finally wound about a conventional cloth take-up roll 51, the rolls 55, 56 and 51 being rotatably mounted in a conventional manner in the side frame members l0 and l l.

The loom also has a conventional shipper lever 60 oscillatably mounted, as at GI (Figure 1), on a bracket 62 suitably secured to the loom side frame member lll. The shipper lever 6I extends upwardly and through a conventional shipper lock bracket 63 projecting outwardly from the loom side frame member il). The shipper lock bracket 63 has a slot 66 therein which is penetrated by the shipper lever 5| and the bracket 63 is also provided with a locking notch 65 at its upper end in Figure 5 which is provided for holding the shipper lever 6B in an operating position. The upper end of the shipper lever 60 has a shipper handle 66 integral therewith. When the shipper handle 66 is in operating position, as shown in Figure '7, the upper portion of the shipper lever 6U engages an outwardly turned leg 61 of a conventional dagger lever 10.

The dagger lever 16 is oscillatably mounted intermediate its ends as at 12 and has oscillatably connected thereto, below its pivot point, a dagger 13 which extends rearwardly in Figures 1 and 8 and, when in the raised position shown in Figure 1, this dagger 13 is adapted to be engaged by a bunter 14 depending from the lay 2| for moving the shipper lever 60 out of the notch 65 to stop the loom. Intermediate the ends of the dagger 13, the upper end of a connecting rod 15 is pivotally connected, and this rod 15 is actuated by conventional stop motion means, not shown, for movingr the dagger 13 from a lowered position to the raised position shown in Figure 1 so as to be engaged by the bunter 14 upon a beat-up stroke of the lay 2l to thus cause the pivoted dagger 1li to move in a counterclockwise direction in Figure l and to move the shipper lever 66 out of the notch 65 in the shipper lock bracket 63. A conventional tension spring 11 is connected to the lower end of the shipper lever 60 in Figure 7 which will normally urge the shipper lever 60 in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 7 to thus stop the loom in a conventional manner.

The parts heretofore described are conventional parts of a loom, and it is with these parts that this invention is adapted to be associated.

The lower ends of upstanding bearing blocks and 8| (Figures 1, 3 and 4c) are flxedly mounted on the conventional whip roll shaft 36 and have oscillatably mounted in the upper ends thereof a transverse operating shaft 82. The shaft 82 has the lower front ends of pressure roll arms 83 and 84 xedly mounted therein which extend upwardly and rearwardly at a slight angle in Figure 3 and have opposed ends of a transverse pressure roll 85 xedly secured therein as by set screws 86. When the loom is in operation, the pressure roll normally rests in engagement with and is supported by the upper surfaces of the warp yarns 45 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 and, upon starting the loom, the pressure roll is moved from the dotted line to the solid line position shown in Figure 3 by means to be presently described.

It will be noted in Figure 4 that the upper end of the shaft 82 terminates in a vertical plane slightly inwardly of the whip roll arm 40 while the lower end thereof extends outwardly above and beyond the loom side frame member l0 and has the front end of an arm 90 xedly and adjustably mounted thereon as by a set screw 9| (Figures 1 and 4). This arm 90 extends rearwardly and has a plurality of spaced bores 92 therein in any one of which the upper end of a cable 93 is adapted to be inserted according to the desired amount of tension to be effected in the warp yarns 45 by the pressure roll 85, for securing the upper end of the cable 93 to the arm 9D. The lower end of the cable 93 is connected, as by tying, to an eye portion 95 of a vertically disposed solenoid plunger 95. The solenoid plunger 95 is mounted for vertical sliding movement in a housing 96 having a suitable solenoid coil 91 therein which, when energized in a manner to be later described, causes the solenoid plunger 95 to move downwardly in Figures 1 and 2.

The solenoid coil housing 99 is secured by a ,strap iron member lill) to an angle plate IGI as by screws |93. The plate lill is secured as by screws Mld to the outer surface of the loom side frame member i6. One of the screws |95 also penetrates the right-hand portion of the strap iron member |09 in Figure 2 and assists in securing the stap iron member ici) to the angle plate |0|.

The righthand flange of the strap iron member |59 in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 6 extends forwardlir and is then bent outwardly as at |95 and then bent forwardly again as at |96. The angle plate lill has an outwardly projecting iront end portion l'l, the front end of which is bent rearlated from the vertical leg of the angle plate lili.

The contact bar l l2 also has a centrally disposed upwardly projecting portion H6 integral theren Y with which has an insulation member ||1 adhesively secured to the upper end thereof and which is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of a pin |26 extending downwardly from an arm |2|. The arm |2| has a disk-shaped portion |22 integral therewith (Figure 6) which is suitably secured to the solenoid plunger 95 so that vertical movement of the solenoid plunger 95 will cause like movement to be transmitted to the disk and the pin |26. A compression spring |24 is mounted between the horizontal leg of the angle plate |0| and the lower surface of the insulation plate I in Figure 2'and normally urges the contact. bar ||2 into engagement with the contact members H3 and H to complete a circuit therebetween.

The housing 95 for the solenoid coil 91 has a vertically extending slot 99a therein which is loosely penetrated by the arm |2| so as to permit vertical movement of the arm |2| and its pin |20 relative to the housing 95. The contact memhere H3 and H4 have the ends of electric wires |25 and |21, respectively, secured thereto, and the wire |2 extends to one side of the solenoid coil 91 and the solenoid `coil 91 also has a wire |32 extending therefrom. The electric 'wire |21 extends to one sidel of "a sensitive switch" 3'3"'(Figures -.5 andV 7) secured as byV screws |34 to an arm |35 projecting from the outer surface of the vertical side frame member I0 of the loom. The wire |30 extends to one side of a male plug |31 and another wire '|32 extends from the other side oi Athe plug |`3| to the other side of the switch |33.

The switch |33 has a lever |35 extending upwardly therefrom to which one end of a tension spring |31 is connected, the other end of the tension spring being connected to the lower end of vthe shipper lever 50 in Figure 7.

The'lever |36 of the switch |33 is shown in a closed position in Figure 7 since the shipper handle 56 is shown in an operating position, and, upon the switch |33 being closed, current will flow from the plug |3| which is adapted to be plugged into a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, through wire |32 to the switch '|33 and then through the wire |21 to the contact H4 in Figures 1 and 2. Since the compression spring |24 has urged the Contact bar ||2 into engagement with the contacts ||3 and |I4, the 'current will then ilow through the contact bar ||2 and the contact member ||3, through the wire |26, to one side of thesolenoid coil 91. Current will then flow from the other side of the solenoid coil 91 through the electric wire |30 to the other side of the plug |3|, thus completing a circuit to the solenoid coil 91.

Now, upon the solenoid coil 91 being energized, the solenoid plunger 95 will be pulled downwardly and this solenoid plunger 95 has an annular groove |40 therein which will be engaged bythe left-hand end of a spring-loaded arm |42 in Figure 2 to thus lock the solenoid plunger 95 in a lowered position. The spring-loaded arm |42 is'mounted for horizontal sliding movement vin a tubular member |43, secured as by welding to the upper end of the housing 96 in Figure 2. The arm |42 has an upwardly projecting spring anchor .portion |45 integral therewith to which one end of a tension spring |46 is connected, the other end of the tension spring |46 being `connected to a suitable spring anchor |41 projecting kfrom the vertical side frame member lil.

When the solenoid plunger 95 is pulled downwardly in the manner heretofore described, this will, of course, cause the arm to move downwardly at its left-hand end in Figure 1 which will, in turn, move the pressure roll 85 from the dotted line position to the solid line position shown in Figure 1 and will thereby increase the tension inthe warp yarns 45 and will maintain this tension in the warp yarns until the spring loaded arm |52 is moved out of engagement with vthe annular groove lll@ in the solenoid plunger '95, by means to be later described.

When the solenoid plunger is pulled downwardly inthe manner heretofore described, this will'al'so Vcause the pin l2!! on the arm |2| to be "moved into engagement with the insulation pad l1 on the upper end of the projection I l5 of the contact bar ||2 and will thus move the contact bar 4| l2 out of engagement with the Contact lmembers 4| I3 and H4, which will break the cirleased "from the spring pressed arm `|42 in the manner to be presently described.

The arm |42 has an eye portion. |50 at its right-hand end in Figures 1 and 2 to which a cable or cord |5| is suitably connected. This cable |5| extends forwardly and is suitably connected, as at |52, to the lower end of a lever arm |53. The lever arm |53 is oscillatably mounted as at |54 on the vertical side frame member l0 and then extends upwardly and has a cam portion |55 integral therewith (Figure 5). The angular cam face of this cam portion |55 is slidably engaged by a mating cam faced portion |51 of a horizontally disposed lever arm |60 which is oscillatable on a vertical axis on a bolt |61. The bolt |5| is secured in one end of a bracket |62 which is secured as by screws |64 to the loom side frame member I0. A tension spring |61 normally urges the lever arm |53 in a clockwise direction in Figure 1 and vurges the face of the cam portion |55 against the cam face |51 of the horizontally disposed lever arm |60. The horizontally disposed lever arm |50 extends to the right in Figures 1 and 5 beyond its pivot point |5| and is adapted to be engaged by the outer surface of the shipper lever 66 (Figure '7) upon the shipper handle 66 being moved from operative to inoperative position.

Now, upon the shipper handle being moved to an off or inoperative position, the lever arm |60 is caused to move in a clockwise direction in Figure 5 and the cam surface |51 thereof will then slide against the cam surface |55 and will cause the vertically disposed lever arm |53 to move in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 1 so as to pull the spring-loaded arm |42 out of engagement with the groove |40 in the vertically disposed solenoid plunger 95. This will, of course, release the solenoid plunger 95 and will permit the warp yarns 45 to raise the pressure roll 85, thus relieving the tension on the warp yarn.

It is thus seen that upon starting the loom, the pressure roll 85 is moved downwardly to increase the tension on the warp yarns 45 and, upon stopping the loom, the shipper handle 66 moves in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 7 thus opening the switch |33 to prevent the solenoid coil 91 from being energized upon the solenoid plunger 95 being released and also resulting in the tension in the'warp yarns being decreased immediately upon stopping the loom.

Now, since set marks in the fabric are usually caused by the normal tension applied to the warp yarns tending to pull the fabric F slightly toward the rear of the loom, it is thus seen that by relieving the tension on the warp yarns when the loom is not operating, the occurrence of Set marks in the fabric is prevented.

Referring to Figure 8 there is shown a modified form of the invention w'hich is identical to the original form shown, with the exception that the pressure roll 85 extends beneath the warp yarns instead of over the warp yarns as in the original form of the invention shown in Figures l, 3 and 4, and this pressure roll is raised instead of lowered for increasing the tension on the warp yarns 45. Therefore, like parts will bear the same reference characters in both forms of the invention with the exception of the modied parts in Figure 8 which comprise a lever arm |10 fixedly mounted on the end of the shaft 82 nearest the observer in Figure 8 and which is identical to the arm 00 in the original form of the invention. However, this arm |10 extends forwardly instead of rearwardly and also has a plurality of bores |1| therein in any one of which 'the upper end of a cable 93 may be suitably secured. It is manifest that the greater the distance between the point at which the cable 93 is connected to the arm |10, the smaller will be the distance the pressure roll is moved upwardly by the solenoid plunger 95, and the tension eiected in the warp yarns 45 will be lessened accordingly.

It is thus seen that with the modied form of the invention shown in Figure 8, upon starting the loom, the solenoid coil 91 will be energized in the same manner as that described for the original form of the invention, thus causing the cable 93 to move downwardly and this will, in turn, cause the lever arm |10 to partially rotate in a clockwise direction in Figure 8.

This, of course, will cause the pressure roll 85 to move from the solid line to the dotted line position shown in Figure 8, thus engaging the lower surfaces of the strands of warp yarns 45 and forcing them upwardly to thereby increase the tension to the desired amount on the warp yarns. Now, upon moving the shipper handle 66 from an on to an "off position the solenoid plunger 95 will be relased in the manner heretofore stated for the original form of the invention thus allowing the arm |16 to move from the dotted line to the solid line position shown in Figure 8 due to the weight of the pressure roll 05, which will result in the pressure roll B5 moving downwardly and out of engagement with the lower surfaces of the warp yarns 45 thus releasing tension on the warp yarns so they may be in a relaxed condition during the time that the loom is not in operation.

It is to be noted that the cable |5| will be relaxed suiciently, as shown in Figure 8, when the Shipper handle is moved to operating position and the solenoid plunger 95 is in elevated position, to thus permit the spring-loaded arm |42 to move into the annular groove |40 in the solenoid plunger 95 immediately upon the shipper handle 66 being moved to operating position and the circuit being completed to the solenoid coil 91 in the manner heretofore described.

Although the solenoid 97 reacts immediately to the moving of the shipper handle from inoperative to operative position, the parts are shown in Figure 8 with the shipper handle in operating position and the solenoid plunger 95 in inoperative position so as to illustrate the slackened condition of the cable |5| as the loom is being started.

In the drawings and specication there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

l. In a loom having a lay and cloth take-up means adjacent the lay and also having a whip roll and a warp beam and warp yarns directed from the warp beam over the whip roll and to the lay for weaving the same into cloth, said loom also having a shipper handle thereon, an eccentrically mounted pressure roll extending transversely of the loom and being oscillatable on the axis of its eccentric mounting, a lever arm connected to the eccentric mounting at its axis, a solenoid coil carried by the loom and disposed below the lever arm, a solenoid plunger in the solenoid coil, a connection between the solenoid plunger and the lever arm, means electrically and automatically operable upon moving the shipper handle to an operative position for automatically energizing the solenoid coil to thus cause the plunger to be drawn into the same and to move said pressure roll relative to the warp yarns to increase the tension thereon, and means automatically operable upon moving the shipper handle to an inoperative position for releasing the solenoid plunger to permit the pressure roll to move away from a pressure applying position relative to the warp yarns.

2. In a loom having a lay and a cloth take up means adjacent the lay and also having a whip roll and a warp beam and Warp yarns directed from the warp beam over the Whip roll and to the lay for weaving the same into cloth and said loom also having a shipper handle thereon for stopping and starting the lay, an eccentrically mounted pressure roll extending transversely of the loom and being oscillatable on the axis of its eccentric mounting, a lever arm secured to the eccentric mounting at its axis, said pressure roll normally resting upon the warp yarns when the shipper handle is in an inoperative position, electrically operable means responsive to movement of the shipper handle to operative position for moving the pressure roll under pressure against the Warp yarns to create tension therein comprising a solenoid coil carried by the loom and disposed below the lever arm, a vertically movable solenoid plunger in the solenoid coil, a source of electrical energy, a connection between the solenoid plunger and the lever arm, electric switch means associated with the shipper handle, electrical connections between the source of electrical energy and the switch means and the solenoid coil, said switch means being closed upon moving the shipper handle to operative position for energizing the coil to cause the plunger to move the pressure roll against the Warp yarns to increase the tension thereon, a normally closed relay switch interposed in the electrical connections between the rst-named switch and the solenoid coil, spring loaded locking means disposed adjacent the plunger and means on said plunger engageable by the spring loaded locking means upon the plunger being moved into said solenoid coil for locking the pressure roll in a pressure applying position, means associated with the solenoid plunger for engaging said relay switch to open the same l0 means engageable by the shipper handle for moving the spring loaded locking means out of engagement with the solenoid plunger comprising a rst lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the loom and about a vertical axis, a second lever -disposed adjacent the iirst lever and pivoted intermediate its ends on the loom about a horizontal axis, a cable connecting one end of the second lever to one end of the spring loaded locking means, cam means on the proximate ends of said levers, spring means normally urging the cam means on the second lever into engagement with the cam means on the rst lever and also urging the end of the second lever remote from the cam means toward the spring loaded locking means, the end of the rst lever remote from said cam means being disposed in the path of movement of the shipper handle as it is moved to inoperative position to be engaged thereby and to impart movement to the rst lever to thereby cause said second lever to pivot about its axis in the opposite direction from which it is normally urged to, in turn, cause v the spring loaded locking means to move out of engagement with the solenoid plunger.

THOMAS J. WILLIS.

WILLIAM A. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 0 le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 572,746 Draper Dec. 8, 1896 681,373 Phelps Aug. 27, 1901 742,813 Wood Oct. 27, 1903 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country l Date 6,610 Great Britain of 1903 

